At 03:03 05/07/01, you wrote:
>I have not read in any commentary a satisfactory interpretation of the
>command to greet no one along the way.
Richard:
You may have noticed in the crit. app of N/A 27 that KAI MHDENA KATA THN ODON
ASPASHSQE is omitted in some mss., the most important being Aleph*.
However, this phrase appears in the main text, and English translations
usually carry a note of some kind or another; usually a cross-reference to
2 Kg 4:29 and Elisha's instructions. ( as in the Jerusalem Bible notes )
The NAB has a more generalised note typical of other commentators:
" because of the urgency of the mission and the single-mindedness required
of missionaries, attachment to material possessions should be avoided and
even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the
task. ".
And a connection has been made with the " aloofness of the Essenes towards
all non-community members " citing 1QS 5:10-11:15.
Another approach is in the light of the hostility to be expected by the
disciples as Jesus' heralds, and this "angle" finds in Lk. 10:4b an echo of
the reapers and the enemies of Zion in Ps. 129:,
Let them be shamed and routed,
those who hate Zion!
6 Let them be like grass on the roof
that withers before it flowers.
7 With that no reaper fill his arms,
no binder makes his sheaves
8 and those passing by will not say:
"On you the Lord's blessing!"
BTW, there is an article " Greet No One On The Way" by A. O'Hagan but the
source you may find rather obscure and hard to find:
SBFLA 16 ( 1965-66 ) 69-84
SBFLA = Studii biblici franciscani liber annus
Hope this is of some help.
Maurice A. O'Sullivan [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros at iol.ie